Dempsey: Israel, U.S. have ‘better military options’ against Iran

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs General Martin Dempsey on June 4. Photo by Larry Downing/Reuters

Gen. Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Israel and the United States have “better military options” against Iran than they did a year ago.

“That’s because we’ve continued to refine them,” Dempsey told The New York Times in an interview from Jordan. “We’ve continued to develop technology, we’ve continued to train and plan.”

Dempsey told the newspaper that he “sensed agreement” that diplomatic initiatives and economic sanctions levied in an effort to halt Iran’s nuclear program were “having an effect” on the Islamic Republic.

Dempsey arrived in Amman on Wednesday after spending several days in Israel meeting with military and political leaders to discuss Iran, as well as the situations in Egypt and Syria.

He told the Times that Israel has security fears regarding the current civil war in Syria, including that the conflict will encourage an arms flow to Israel’s enemies and a growing Iranian influence on Syria.

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